title: Nanofiber density determines endothelial cell behavior on hydrogel matrix.
abstract: When cultured under static conditions, bacterial cellulose pellicles, by the nature of the polymer synthesis that involves molecular oxygen, are characterized by two distinct surface sides. The upper surface is denser in fibers (entangled) than the lower surface that shows greater surface porosity. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to exploit how the microarchitecture (i.e., surface porosity, fiber network structure, surface topology, and fiber density) of bacterial cellulose pellicle surfaces influence cell-biomaterial interaction and therefore cell behavior. Adhesion, cell ingrowth, proliferation, viability and cell death mechanisms were evaluated on the two pellicle surface sides. Cell behavior, including secondary necrosis, is influenced only by the microarchitecture of the surface, since the biomaterial is extremely pure (constituted of cellulose and water only). Cell-cellulose fiber interaction is the determinant signal in the cell-biomaterial responses, isolated from other frequently present interferences such as protein and other chemical traces usually present in cell culture matrices. Our results suggest that microarchitecture of hydrogel materials might determine the performance of biomedical products, such as bacterial cellulose tissue engineering constructs (BCTECs).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: fernanda@intelab.ufsc.br.
authors.forename: Fernanda V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Berti
authors.forename: Carlos R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Rambo
authors.forename: Paulo F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Luismar M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Porto
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D041821:Gluconacetobacter / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D016062:Porosity; D013499:Surface Properties; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D002482:Cellulose
keywords: Bacterial cellulose tissue engineering construct (BCTEC); HUVEC; Scaffold microarchitecture; Secondary necrosis